Quintessential Kenyon: Student Life, Uncut

New City

Kei Helm '16
June 18, 2019

Congratulations! You’ve made it, Class of 2019! After all of your hard work on the Hill, I hope you walked away (diploma in hand) proud and grateful for all the friends, mentors, and memories you made during your time in Gambier.

Leaving Kenyon, you are venturing on to your next steps all across the country (and the globe). Some of you may be back in your home town or state. Many of you are likely preparing to jump into, or are just getting settled into, a brand-new place. Wherever you are, I am so excited for you! Really! I loved how Kenyon prepared me for my own life, and one of the best parts about being an alum is seeing the different paths my fellow alumni pursue. I can’t wait to hear through the Kenyon grapevine about all of the exciting things you are going to do!

As you get settled into your post-grad life and the ominous “real world,” I wanted to offer a few thoughts and pieces of advice from my own life about getting started in a new place.

  1. Take some time to walk around and explore. Maybe this is a little obvious, but you’re more than likely now in a place that’s a little bigger than the walk from North to South at Kenyon. Even as we are increasingly reliant on rideshare apps, e-scooters, and public transit, I’ve learned so much about my new city by taking some time to actually walk around. This is how I’ve felt a lot more at home in a new place, and it’s a great way to discover a new favorite coffee shop or restaurant.  

  2. Pursue an old hobby or pick up a new one and find a local group. You might not have a city-wide activities fair to find a club like at Kenyon, but that doesn’t mean similar groups aren’t around. Focusing on your new job is definitely important, but finding a community group and meeting local people with whom you share a passion does wonders for making a place feel like home. Love theater? Show up at a community theater audition. Love rock-climbing? Visit a local rock-climbing gym. Is local politics your thing? Don’t just look at local political party groups but also think about showing up at your local civic board meeting. That might sound ridiculously boring, but you’d be shocked by how much of an impact a bright, young individual can make. So explore websites like MeetUp and Facebook for open groups. You might be pleasantly surprised by what you find.

  3. Get involved with your local regional alumni association. Sometimes you just want to catch up with some folks to reminisce about hanging out on Peirce lawn on a sunny day, spending late nights at the VI, or bemoan no longer having food made for you every meal. Keeping up with events organized by your regional alumni association is a great way to discover other Kenyon alums in your area. In D.C., we’ve been able to organize happy hours, biking trips, distillery tours, and even our own Philander’s Phling! Not hearing about those local events? Reach out to Tristan Neviska '13 in the Office of Alumni and Parent Engagement at neviskatj@kenyon.edu to get in touch with your local group organizer. Or, if you have event ideas, get involved and help organize it! Regional associations are always looking for new people and ideas.  

My last piece of advice for you is to take all of the ups and downs of the years ahead of you, and figure out what brings you joy, and go do it. Seriously, go! Do. It. I know you’ll hear that over and over again about your career, but I hope you apply it to your time outside of work and in a new place. Kenyon offered a lot on campus, but there’s even more out there. And no matter where you are, I promise that you’ll start to feel at home in no time if you seek out those opportunities.

Kei Helm ’16, a biology major at Kenyon, moved to the Washington, D.C., area after graduating to work at a healthcare consulting firm, the Lewin Group. There, he developed an expertise in Medicare health reform initiatives to support the ongoing transformation of the health sector towards value-based payment models. Outside of work, Kei is involved in the Kenyon D.C. Regional Alumni Association, organizes fundraising events for the local Democratic causes, and engages with a local street photography group in monthly meet ups. In August, Kei will begin a Master in Public Policy degree focusing on health policy at Georgetown University.